How can I tell if my baby is feeding well?

Many breastfeeding
parents wonder if their baby is getting
enough breast milk to drink. You can’t see
exactly how much breast milk your baby has had to drink – what’s
important is that you feed him whenever he’s hungry and as often as
he wants.

There are also signs
which show that breastfeeding is going well:

You may feel a
tingling sensation or feeling of tightening in your breasts.

Breast milk
may leak or flow when you hear your baby cry, or may leak from the
opposite breast while feeding.

Baby
experiences changes in sucking patterns, like slow sucking, pausing
and then beginning to swallow.

You can hear
your baby swallowing and see his throat expanding.

You may
experience cramping and vaginal discharge (increased lochia) during
or after breastfeeding for the first few days.

You may feel
relaxed or drowsy after breastfeeding.

Your breasts
feel softer and less full after breastfeeding.

Your nipple is
elongated after breastfeeding, not pinched, white or damaged.

Fear of not having
“enough milk” is one of the most common reasons given
for stopping breastfeeding early. But the reality is that many
parents think their milk supply is low when it isn’t. The feeling
of your breast, your baby’s behaviour, the frequency you feed or
the amount you pump DOES NOT determine if you have enough
milk.

Also, many parents
believe that they don’t have enough milk because their baby takes a
bottle after breastfeeding. Keep in mind that many babies will suck
on anything even if they are full because they find it enjoyable.